I know this isn't exactly a news flash to most of you but we moved...again. We now call Casper, Wyoming home...and I get a lot of people asking me how we like it. It has its pluses and minuses like most places but there are two huge reasons why this was a good move for us at this time. First, Matt is home 90% of the time. This is a MAJOR change...last year, he was home 30% of the time which was NOT FUN and late last year, it bumped to 55%, which was an improvement but still hard on the family. Having him around more has made all the difference for me and the boys. I tell people that we could really live anywhere as long as we are a full-time family and this really proves it for us!
Second BONUS for moving here was Quinton's schooling. His teacher in Utah was competent enough but that's about it. Quinton and his teacher just did not mesh well AT.ALL. Quinton went from being a happy-go-lucky kid in the 1st grade to a stressed-out "behavior problem" kid in the 2nd! Now I think Matt being gone was a small factor in that but really, it was the conflict between Q and his teacher. I got the school counselor involved and was working so hard with Quinton but everyday was a struggle and it broke my heart to see Q come home with his head down every single school day. I was really struggling to know what to do when this move came up and I saw it as a GREAT opportunity to resolve the situation. Fast-forward two months in his new school...and his attitude has done a 180 degree turnaround! His new class size is almost HALF of what it was in Utah and his new teacher praises him so much more and it's working! Not once has Quinton come home with a note about his behavior! He is HAPPY when I pick him up and he is THRIVING in his new school! Another major bonus is that his teacher does not CLING to the Common Core standards and is genuinely TEACHING to the kids and not AT them! What a difference this makes! We were doing 2 hours of homework a night in Utah...here it's 15 minutes!!! In Utah, he had to read a "school" book three times a day and turn it in....here, he can choose any book he likes and needs to read it a minimum of 20 minutes a day. Subsequently, he has finished his first 100+ page chapter book ON HIS OWN and even wrote the author a letter telling her how much he loved her book! I can't say enough what a blessing this move has been for our family!
But for me, it feels like another move...same life just different scenery. I love to meet new people but I am also tired of it, know what I mean? It's exhausting starting all over again and again and again! Just this week, I have FINALLY signed the boys up for activities! It has been a nice two months not shuttling kids anywhere but they really need the activity and I need the distraction. Another Casper bonus: I signed Sawyer and Quinton up for Ice Hockey lessons! Ha, ha! They love ice skating with Matt! I am way too chicken...remember, I grew up in Florida!
I'm not sure if anyone checks this blog anymore but I rather like keeping it as our family journal!
